Buddhist Times News – Buddhist stupa in Kurukshetra

By   —  Shyamal Sinha

Stupa is a hemispherical structure containing Buddhist relics and place of meditation used by Buddhists monks. In the period between the Mauryas and the Guptas the older stupas were greatly enlarged and beautified. Of these three are noteworthy—those at Bharhut and Sanchi in Madhya Pradesh, and at Amaravati in the lower Krishna valley.

The word ‘Stupa’ is said to have been derived from the Sanskrit root ‘Stu’ meaning ‘to worship’ or ‘to praise’. The Stupa developed as the nucleus of Buddhist faith and worship, but its origin cannot be regarded as Buddhist for evidence of its roots date back to c. 2000 B.C.

Burial mounds containing relics were raised from earth and rock according to an age old custom that had survived from as early as Neolithic times. These burial mounds were also common during the lifetime of the Buddha and he instructed his disciples to erect them at cross-roads to commemorate great kings, sages and heroes.

A budget of Rs 4.47 crore will be spent on developing the mound of ancient Buddhist stupa situated at Kurukshetra University.

As per the PWD (B&R), the site is under the Department of Archaeology and Museums, Haryana, and it has entrusted the PWD to execute the project. As per information, the site is among the state-protected monuments and sites.

The Executive Engineer, PWD (B&R), Arun Bhatia, said, “A tender was floated for the project and it has been received. Its technical bid will be opened at the headquarters and the tender will be allotted this month. The project is set to start in February. Besides the beautification work, pathways, eatery shops, and toilet blocks will be constructed under this project. A budget of Rs 4.47 crore has been received from the Archaeology Department.”

Mound spread over 3 acres

The mound is spread over an area of nearly 3 acres and the height of the mound is around 4 metres

During the archaeological excavation, five burnt brick structures were recovered at the mound

While the first three structures belong to the Kushana phase, one is related to the Gupta period, and the last structure has four successive phases which belong to the Vardhana period to later medieval period

The Deputy Director, Department of Archaeology and Museums, Haryana, Dr Banani Bhattacharyya, said, “Buddhist stupa is an iconic site and it is being developed accordingly. We will preserve the mound and the sanctity of the site. A garden will be developed there and there will gazebo and fountain. There is also a provision to install a statue of Buddha. The tree plantation will be carried out by the Forest Department. The construction work has been handed over to the PWD (B&R).”

Thanesar MLA Subhash Sudha said, “Different projects are being carried out in Thanesar to develop it as a major tourist destination. A proposal to develop the Buddhist stupa situated at Kurukshetra University was sent to the state government and it was cleared. The project will start in February and it is to be completed within a year. Every year, lakhs of pilgrims and visitors come to Kurukshetra. After the completion of the project, it will become a new tourist destination near the Brahma Sarovar and we are hopeful that it will attract more visitors.”

Buddha’s footprints are in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, recent study revealed that Haryana also hosts many Buddhist heritage sites.

One such city is Kurukshetra where upholder of peace Lord Buddha himself came and preached peace and compassion to people in past. Archaeological site of Buddhist stupa is situated on the western bank of holy Brahamsarovar. Buddhist stupa and 1300 year monastery relics on the eastern boundary wall of Kurukshetra campus provide the city a distinct Buddhist character. Very few know that Kurukshetra has had it brushes with Budddhism. The stupa is believed to date back to the 7th century A.D. It was Buddha himself who brought the faith to Kurukshetra where he delivered his discourses in Thullakotthita and Kamasadamma identified by historians as Thanesar and Kaithal. The remains of Buddhist stupa have been written by Huien Tsang, the Chinese traveller.

Buddhism has always been a part of Indian culture and religion. It gained great importance during the reign of king Harshavardhana.

Buddhist Times News – Japan Expands State Of Emergency as covid 19 cases rise

By  —  Shyamal Sinha

Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga has been wary about taking measures that would hamper economic activity, while he has put on a brave face against the mounting challenges of hosting the delayed Olympics in Tokyo this year.

Japan’s coronavirus cases topped 300,000 on Wednesday, while the death toll reached 4,187, public broadcaster NHK said.

As infections hover at record levels, straining the country’s medical system, opinion polls have shown a public increasingly opposed to holding the Summer Games and growing frustration with Suga.

In a weekend survey by NHK, just 16% of respondents said the Games should go ahead – down 11 percentage points from the previous poll last month – while a combined 77% thought they should be cancelled or postponed. The Games are set for July 23 to Aug. 8.

Even Takeshi Niinami, CEO of beverage giant Suntory Holdings and an economic adviser to Suga, told Reuters he was unsure whether the Olympics could be held as planned, and that a decision will likely be made by end-March.

Suga announced the expanded state of emergency to include Osaka, Kyoto, Hyogo, Fukuoka, Aichi, Gifu and Tochigi prefectures from Thursday at a task force meeting. He will hold a news conference 7 p.m. (1000 GMT).

The latest emergency declaration covering 55% of Japan’s population of 126 million is set to last through Feb. 7 and is much narrower in scope than the first one last spring. It focuses on combating transmission in bars and restaurants, while urging people to stay home as much as possible.

The government will also suspend an entry-ban exemption for business travellers from 11 previously designated countries and regions during the state of emergency.

Suga has been criticised for what many observers have said was a slow and confusing response to the pandemic. That is a sharp reversal from the strong support he enjoyed at the start of his tenure, when he was seen as a “man of the people” who could push through reforms.

Among the most controversial moves has been a scheme that subsidised local tourism, encouraging millions to travel domestically. That was put on hold late last year.

Political analyst Atsuo Ito said he saw two major problems with Suga’s response to the pandemic: that it was incremental and slow, and that he was a poor communicator despite having been the top government spokesman in his previous role as chief cabinet secretary.

“He has almost no skill at messaging. Even at press conferences he’s looking down and reading notes. That doesn’t invite trust from citizens … The result is that his support ratings are falling,” Ito said.

Suga’s approval rate fell below those who disapproved for the first time in an NHK poll since he took office in September – by 40% to 41%.

The poll also showed 88% think Feb. 7 is too early to lift the state of emergency – a view shared by many experts.

“It’s very unlikely we’ll see cases go down after just a month,” said Yoshihito Niki, an infectious disease specialist and professor at Showa University Hospital.

“Japan has been called a success story and there’s been discussion about the so-called Factor X – something that makes the Japanese more resistant to the virus – but that’s a complete fantasy,” Niki said.

source -News 18

Buddhist Times News – Buddhism contributes to Việt Nam’s socio-economic development

By  —  Shyamal Sinha

The Buddhist Sangha of Vietnam is the only Buddhist Sangha recognised by the Vietnamese government and is a member of the Vietnamese Fatherland Front. The BSV was founded after Vietnam’s Buddhist Convention was held at Quan Su Temple on November 7, 1981. The BSV was founded to unify Buddhist activities of Vietnamese Buddhist monks, nuns and lay followers. The Head of the 6th term Buddhist Sangha of Vietnam (2007-2012) is Most Venerable Thich Pho Tue.

Buddhism has a great influence on the thinking and behaviour of Vietnamese people. For them it is not only a religion, but also a way of life that emphasizes disconnection to the present. People believe that “to the same degree, they reap today what they have sown in the past”. In other words, they believe in rebirth and that their present life is a reflection of actions in a previous life.

Promoting patriotic traditions and positive human values, Việt Nam Buddhism has made many contributions to society in different fields, Nguyễn Phúc Nguyên, head of the Department of Buddhist Affairs – Government Committee for Religious Affairs, said at a conference held on January 10.

Buddhism had encouraged solidarity among the people and developed ethical and humane values, Nguyên said.

Dr Trần Đức Cường, chairman of Vietnam Association of Historical Sciences, said: “Buddhism entered Việt Nam more than 2,000 years ago. Buddhism has become an indispensable part of Vietnamese culture. The profound human values together with the cultural values of Buddhism have continued to affect the ideology and lifestyle of the people. It encourages people to build and protect the good traditions of the Vietnamese. It promotes people, guides goodness, and builds a peaceful society.”

“It maintains and promotes traditions, national solidarity and community harmony,” Cường said, adding that through social activities, along with many other religions, Vietnamese Buddhism has strengthened solidarity between religion and life among all classes of people, contributing to educating and promoting the community spirit and collective strength.

In modern society, when ethnic and religious conflicts take place in many countries in the world, the philosophy and practice of the model of a harmonious and solidarity community of Vietnam Buddhism is a positive example because it wants to direct people to a good life filled with love, peace and friendship, and cooperation for mutual development, he said.

The Most Venerable Thích Trí Quảng, first deputy supreme patriarch of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, rector of Vietnam Buddhist University, said: “Right from the establishment of the Southern land, Buddhism was present in the spiritual life of residents there, co-working closely in reclaiming, building, and creating hamlets, and contributing an important part in the development of a beautiful and rich land with the high potential and a diverse spiritual life.”

Buddhism in the Southern region contributed to the fight against invading enemies, protecting the independence and freedom of the Vietnamese nation, Quảng said. “Buddhism in the South not only became a factor constituting the cultural foundation and people, but also contributed to the creation of the cultural identity and value system of the land and people of the South.”

Currently, the Southern region is undergoing a renovation process in the context of globalisation with the explosive development of science – technology and economic institutions, according to Quảng.

These trends present the Southern region with many opportunities for breakthrough development, but also pose many serious challenges.

“It is the risk of breaking and losing cultural identity in international integration and pushing a large part of people to be hurt by their own loneliness. The duality of the globalisation process is inevitable and requires that we pay more attention to happiness, culture and people as the foundation of all perspectives, the socio-economic development strategy and plan of the Southern region,” he added.

Ambassador from Sri Lanka to Việt Nam Prasanna Gamage said: “Việt Nam was, and still is, a profoundly Buddhist country. The Sangha are very involved in the community, and temples often run schools, orphanages, medical clinics, and homes for the disabled. Lay people play an important role in religious life.”

“The Buddha’s message of equality, for today’s divided world, is more important than ever. This world is replete with poverty, discontent and suffering. The loving kindness, non-violence and peaceful existence that the Buddha taught are fundamentally relevant. Let us take it upon ourselves to bring such practices back to life.”

The “Buddhism in Southern Region of Việt Nam: Establishment and Development” Conference was held by the Vietnam Buddhist University in co-operation with the HCM City University of Social Sciences and Humanities.

At the conference, the two universities signed an agreement to co-operate in training, researching and publishing reference books in Buddhism.

Buddhism came to Vietnam by the maritime route from India and from China by land. Those who first carried this religion to Vietnam seem to have been refugees from persecution in China and religious pilgrims from India.

Sourced  – VNS

Buddhist Times News – Suriname’s Indian-Origin President to be Republic Day Chief Guest

By  —  Shyamal Sinha

President of the Republic of Suriname, Chandrikapersad Santokhi, will be the chief guest at India’s Republic Day parade on January 26, sources in the central government told News18 on Sunday, days after UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson cancelled his visit to India. Sources confirmed that Santokhi, who is of Indian origin, will be attending the Rajpath parade.

Earlier this week, Santokhi was the chief guest at the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention, held by the Ministry of External Affairs and he delivered the keynote address.

India had initially invited Boris Johnson to be the chief guest but the British PM had to cancel his visit in view of the grim coronavirus situation back home.

Santokhi was sworn in as the president of Suriname in July, 2020, when his party, the Progressive Reform Party, won 20 of the 51 seats in the elections. His win also brought an end to the dictatorial rule by Dési Bouterse. The PRP, known in the Dutch language as Vooruitstrevende Hervormingspartij or VHP by its initials, largely represents the Indian community and had originally been called the United Hindustani Party.

Suriname is a former Dutch colony where people of Indian descent make up the largest ethnic group comprising 27.4 per cent of the population of 587,000.

In an address at the virtual Pravasi Bharatiya Divas celebrations, the Indian-origin president expressed readiness to take the first step to end visa permits for visitors from India to Suriname.

‘Suriname is prepared to take a first step in doing so by ending visa permits for visitors from India to Suriname,’ he said.

Santokhi said there is scope to expand cooperation in areas of business, trade and tourism.

Elaborating on historical links between the two countries, the president said the Suriname diaspora is part of India’s soft power and India is also part of Suriname’s soft power.

Large numbers of Indian workers were taken to Suriname to work as indentured labourers in the 19th century.

He said Suriname and India have historical connections going back 148 years, which has shaped the lives of many who travelled from India.

‘I also feel pride in being of Indian heritage, a heritage and culture which was passed on by my parents and grandparents, who 148 years ago, started this adventurous journey from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh and sailed from Kolkata in search of their dreams for a better life in Suriname,’ he said.

Buddhist Times News – Farmers with red flags have taken over the highway with their SUVs and tractors.

By   —  Shyamal Sinha

The sixth round of talks between the central government and the protesting farmers took place on Wednesday with the government agreeing on two of the four issues which caused the famers to block border points in Delhi and surrounding areas since November 26. The Centre agreed to spare heavy fines for stubble burning and continue the current mechanism of providing subsidised power for agricultural use. However, the two sides remained deadlock on the removal of the three controversial farm reforms and legal guarantee for the Minimum Support Price (MSP) policy. This round of negotiations was held between three Union ministers and 41-member representative group of the protesting farmers.

Union agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar said that the meeting was held in cordial atmosphere adding that discussions would continue on the remaining two issues on January 4. “Discussions on the three farm laws and MSP are continuing and will continue in the next round of talks on January 4,” Tomar said. The minister also urged the farmer groups to send back the women, children and the elderly back to their homes due to the harsh weather conditions in the national capital.

With pizza stalls, masseurs and bonhomie, the protests here and at the Singhu border have the air of a town fair.

This is India’s new proletariat. Fattened on power subsidies and minimum support price at the Indian taxpayers’ expense, they do not care whether they are causing the nation heavy loss and inconvenience.

As the farmers’ protest lingers, one wonders whether there is a bigger game and deeper planning at play to weaken India.

Protesting farm unions have said they will write to British lawmakers and Prime Minister Boris Johnson not to travel to India to take part in Republic Day celebrations next month until the Modi government scraps three pieces of legislation they say will hurt their livelihoods.

Where is the money coming from?

Who gains the most from blocking laws that can revolutionise the Indian agricultural economy?

Who has recently received a military jolt while trying to bully its way into grabbing territory along a disputed border?

Who had to swallow its pride and halt its progress?

Who is on the receiving end of a massive diplomatic backlash worldwide over its role in being the originator and spreader of COVID-19?

And so, who is most likely to try dirty, covert means to attack India’s progress?

The questions point only in one direction: A Communist dictatorship run by a man of almost delusional ambition.

In 1959, when Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru admitted to illegal actions by Chinese forces in the Northeast Frontier Agency (NEFA) and Ladakh, the Communist Party of India stayed quiet, as if it were not important at all. During its Calcutta summit, it released a statement effectively disputing India’s territorial claims along the McMahon line.

When the Chinese butchered the Tibetans, the CPI put out a statement praising the Chinese for leading the Tibetans from “medieval darkness”.

Comrade VS Achutanandan was censured in 1962 for arguing in favour of donating blood for the jawans and contributing money from the sale of prison rations saved by inmates to the defence fund.

During the 2017 Doklam standoff, the CPM blamed India for increasing “the profile of the Dalai Lama and the so-called Tibetan provisional government. The visit of the Dalai Lama accompanied by a union minister to Arunachal Pradesh and the recent unfurling of the Tibetan flag of the provisional government in Ladakh are serious irritants for China,” its statement said.

After the clash between Indian and Chinese soldiers in Galwan, the CPM politburo released a statement calling it “unfortunate”, without even naming China.

The Congress itself has quite a record with China.

Rahul Gandhi wanted to pass the very same farm laws. It was in the Congress 2019 election manifesto. Now, the party is misleading farmers and fomenting chaos.

Is there a deeper agenda?

Gandhi insinuated that the Chinese had robbed Indian land, insulting the government and the forces in the time of conflict. On 3 July, 2020, he tweeted a video where people were claiming that China had taken our land, implying that the Indian forces were lying. Turns out the man in the video was actually a Congress worker and former councillor.

Rajiv Gandhi Foundation (run by Sonia and Rahul Gandhi) took money from China between 2005 and 2009. Congress-led UPA government allowed the trade deficit with China to balloon 33-fold, increasing it from an almost negligible $1.1 billion in 2003-04 to $36.2 billion in 2013-14.

In 2008, the Congress and the Communist Party of China (CCP) signed an undisclosed MoU. Around then, Sonia Gandhi-led Rajiv Gandhi Foundation accepted Chinese money.

Rajiv Gandhi Foundation has also been found to have donated to the China Association for Internationally Friendly Contact (CAIFC). The US Congress has called the CAIFC a “suspicious extension” of Chinese military involved in espionage activities.

Rahul secretly met with the Chinese several times in the past. Once he met Chinese ministers during Kailash Yatra. In the middle of the Doklam stand-off, he had quietly met with the Chinese ambassador.

These farmer protests have been the launchpad for an attack on Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance, an Indian giant standing in the way of China’s 5G plan to wire the world. China’s plan is to python-wrap the world with the Belt and Road Initiative and 5G networks. However, lately, nations have almost unanimously kept Chinese companies away from setting up 5G networks.

It is significant than that in the last few days, protestors vandalised and destroyed more than 1,500 mobile of Reliance Jio in Congress-ruled Punjab. Jio is set to be the biggest 5G player in India.

The protesters have demanded the release of Naxals and jihadis in jail for anti-India activities. Punjab railway lines were blocked, cutting off supplies to the critical Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh among other routes. The exchequer has already lost more than Rs 30,000 crore.

Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot targeted the Centre for not resolving the issues of farmers by saying that farmers were forced to welcome New Year out on the roads. “It is sad that our farmer brothers and sisters, who are protesting would welcome New Year out on roads and away from homes. A sensitive, responsive govt would never let this happen,” Gehlot tweeted.

Buddhist Times News – Thousands march through Kathmandu against PM dissolving Parliament

Rival Nepal Communist Party faction hit street of Kathmandu in show of power, 

In the past 30 years since 1990, no single Prime Minister of Nepal has served a full five-year term.

The country has seen the governance change hands over 25 times as none of the 14 prime ministers stayed on for the entire term.

Protestors led by Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Madhav Kumar Nepal of Nepal Communist Party’s rival faction marched through the streets of the capital Kathmandu on Tuesday against the dissolution of Parliament.

The march took place even as a delegation from China is in Nepal on a four-day visit to “assess the ground situation.”

Participating in the protest march were three former Prime Ministers – Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Madhav Kumar Nepal and Jhala Nath Khanal. Slogans were chanted against the latest “unconstitutional” move of dissolving parliament by now the now caretaker Government of Prime Minster KP Oli.

Cadres chanted slogans against Oli and President Bidhya Devi Bhandari and also against foreign intervention demanding them to stay away from the country’s internal political matters.

Earlier this week a four-member delegation led by Guo Yezhou, a vice minister in the International Department of Communist Party of China arrived in Nepal and met major political leaders of the Himalayan Nation.

“Presence of people on the streets of Kathmandu and protests all around the nation has truly proved that other political parties, civil societies, former Chief Justice, senior advocates along with other groups associated with the public have collectively denounced this step and called the step as autocratic, unconstitutional, against democracy and its norms,” Pushpa Kamal Dahal or Prachanda, the Chairman of rival Nepal Communist Party faction said while addressing the mass meeting held after the show of power on Tuesday.

Nepal President Bidya Devi Bhandari had dissolved the Lower House on Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli’s recommendation on December 20. The move has invited 12 petitions in the country’s apex court, claiming it to be “unconstitutional”, including one by Prachanda.

“If there is any kind of uneasy conditions, I want to appeal the court to understand protest and mass meeting which has commenced all around the nation. This is a symbiosis from people’s part not only our political party, but I also request them to understand it in that way,” the former Prime Minister appealed.

After dissolving the Parliament, Oli also proposed elections on April 30 and May 10, 2021, nearly two years ahead of the schedule. Seven cabinet ministers had submitted their resignations after the Parliament dissolution was ratified by the President.

Nepal’s Supreme Court on Friday issued a show-cause notice to the Oli-led government, asking it to submit a written clarification over its decision to abruptly dissolve Parliament.

Meanwhile, the other former Prime Minister and co-chair of Nepal Communist Party Madhav Kumar Nepal said that the latest move of Oli has prompted people to come onto the street fearing the rise of undemocratic forces in the nation.

“He (Oli) has taken the steps against federalism, constitution, democracy, democratic values and norms, people’s right and choice; this is why people now have hit the road,” Nepal said addressing the mass meeting.

Oli claimed of lack of support from party insiders and moves to oust him from post through impeachment as the reasons to dissolve the parliament which he exercised going beyond the constitutional rights.

Protests had since then erupted in the Himalayan Nation which in year 2017 voted for communist alliance hoping for stability as it always was marred with political changes and raging conflict.

The then Communist alliance- Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist and Communist Party of Nepal- Maoist Center had scored nearly two-third majority and formed a single government after swooping the election.

Formally cutting off relations with Oli and taking actions against him for making the latest unilateral move, the rival faction within the ruling party on December 24 decided to take to the streets. Leaders of the rival faction have claimed it to be the first phase of protest and have vowed to make it stricter and stronger as it advances.

“From today, the fire of struggle has been ignited. The sky of Kathmandu Valley is echoing with deafening slogans the voice against regression has already set off,” Jhala Nath Khanal, a former Prime Minister and Senior Leader of ruling Nepal Communist Party, Dahal-Nepal faction said addressing the mass meeting.

The leaders on Tuesday’s protest vowed to fight to reinstate the parliament and correct the unconstitutional move of Oli. Rival faction leaders said they have formed an agitation mobilization committee to launch protests in various parts of the country.

source  — ANI

Speaker welcomes signing of ‘Tibet Policy and Support Act 2020’ by US President Trump

 Speaker Pema Jungney on behalf of Tibetans in and outside Tibet and the 16th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, expressed his deepest gratitude to US President Donald J.Trump for signing the “Tibet Policy and Support Act 2020” (TPSA2020).

Expressing his gratitude to the US President, the Speaker wrote, “This ACT officially endorses that recognition of the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama is the sole authority of the great XIV Dalai Lama, the Tibetan Buddhist leaders and the Tibetan people with no interference from the Chinese Government (People’s Republic of China). This ACT also recognizes the importance of the Tibetan Plateau and the threat that climate change poses on Tibet, the US will address and closely monitor Tibet’s environment including water security and climate change. The ACT also commends His Holiness the great XIVth Dalai Lama for his great vision as a leader and for implementing a Democratic system of governance and for Tibetan people adopting it.”

“Furthermore, the ACT also forbids China from opening a new consulate in the USA until China allows a US Consulate in Lhasa, the Capital of Tibet. According to the Act, the US business companies and individuals must ensure their business activities in Tibet follow the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. We are also thankful to Your Excellency for the inclusion of formalizing the funding for Tibetans inside and outside Tibet and also for the appropriations.”

“The People’s Republic of China – the government has fooled the world by different means. Most recently it has fooled the world about the deadly Coronavirus Covid – 19 which originated from the city of Wuhan in China. Due to their hiding the truth, the deadly virus spread across the world and killed millions of people and caused immeasurable damage for which China should be held accountable and punished accordingly. Your Excellency, we commend your courage in encountering China for their ruthless suffering caused to the people of the world and holding them accountable.”

“This is a historic moment for Tibetans, particularly our brothers and sisters inside Tibet and all the oppressed people in the world to rejoice and celebrate as it clearly shows that the US stands with the voiceless and oppressed people. Signing this bill into a Law (ACT) brought great hope and joy for the Tibetans particularly our brothers and sisters who are still suffering under the brutal oppressive policies of China and it not only sends out a clear message to China that the US prioritizes principle human values above everything but it also pressurizes China from refraining their false propaganda tactics relating to Tibet’s issues to the world. This bill has acknowledged that China which has been tagged as the world’s most blatant human rights violator – has taken every measure to oust Tibet from the rest of the world by restricting foreigners, particularly the journalists from reporting on its inhuman acts, illegal killings, brutal repression, persecution and arbitrary arrest to the world is a country to be sidelined for its cruel strategies towards Tibet.”

“The United States of America has been among the pioneer countries in helping Tibetans to protect its unique culture and identity by welcoming HH the Dalai Lama since 1979 followed by the adoption of the US Tibetan Resettlement Project in the 1990s, the Tibet Policy Act of 2002, the Reciprocal Access to Tibet Act and the most recent TPSA2020.”

President Trump is not expected to take a Bush-like view on the TSPA, which introduces stronger provisions on Tibet, plus teeth in the form of a threat of sanctions, including travel bans on Chinese officials. How the Biden Administration, expected to frame its own China policy, views TPSA remains to be seen.

Still, most US administrations, the Trump Administration included, have broadly maintained a diplomatic balance between relations with China, and support for Tibet and the Dalai Lama. The State Department has a separate section on Tibet in its annual reports on human rights and religious freedom. But there has been no real push for talks with the Dalai Lama or on the release of political prisoners.

“Over the years, the Presidents of the United States of America have consistently supported the Tibet cause and we are immensely grateful for your indefatigable support in taking strong measures against China, a government that is economically the most powerful yet having the record of worst human rights violations.”

“We the people of Tibet are very thankful to your Excellency and urge your Excellency to continue your support till Tibet regains its freedom.”

The TPSA has introduced provisions aimed at protecting the environment of the Tibetan plateau, calling for greater international cooperation and greater involvement by Tibetans. Alleging that China is diverting water resources from Tibet, the TPSA also calls for “a regional framework on water security, or use existing frameworks… to facilitate cooperative agreements among all riparian nations that would promote… arrangements on impounding and diversion of waters that originate on the Tibetan Plateau”. While the 2002 Act said the US should establish a “branch office” in Lhasa, the TSPA ups the ante by changing that to a “consulate”. It recognises the Central Tibetan Administration, whose President Lobsang Sangay takes credit for ensuring that the Senate took up the legislation for vote.

source — CTA

China fishing in Nepal’s troubled waters, rushes senior leader to Kathmandu

Representative Image By   —  Shyamal Sinha

Amid political chaos in Nepal, China is sending a vice-minister of the Chinese Communist Party to Kathmandu to “assess the ground situation”.

The Kathmandu Post quoted two Nepal Communist Party (NCP) leaders confirming that Guo Yezhou, vice-minister of the International Department of the Communist Party of China, is arriving in Kathmandu on Sunday for a four-day visit.

During the visit, Guo will meet the senior leaders of both the factions of the NCP, according to sources.

Sources in both the factions of the NCP confirmed that Guo, along with his four-member team, will land in Kathmandu on Sunday morning.

Bishnu Rijal, Deputy Head of Department of Foreign Affairs of the NCP (Dahal-Nepal faction), while confirming that the Chinese side communicated about Guo’s visit to Kathmandu, denied divulging details “at this point of time”.

Nepal President Bidya Devi Bhandari had dissolved the Lower House on Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli’s recommendation. The move has invited 12 petitions in the country’s apex court, claiming it to be “unconstitutional”, including one by former prime minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal who filed the plea on Tuesday.

After dissolving the Parliament, Oli also proposed elections on April 30 and May 10, 2021, nearly two years ahead of the schedule.

Seven cabinet ministers had submitted their resignations after the Parliament dissolution was ratified by the President.

Oli has been facing pressure from the rival factions of the NCP, led by former prime minister Dahal and Madhav Nepal.

In particular, the Chinese envoy in Nepal has been hyperactive in recent weeks, meeting the President as well as Prachanda under the garb of mundane official agendas. It is thought the Chinese Communist Party is attempting to play a big brother role in keeping the Nepal Communist Party together. India has refused to be drawn into the Nepal turmoil, with the MEA terming it as Nepal’s internal matter, though it has expressed it is keeping a watch on developments.

source – ANI

Buddhist Times News – Bhutan PM announces 7-day nationwide lockdown amid new Covid-19 cases

By  —  Shyamal Sinha

Bhutan will go on lockdown for seven days starting from Tuesday amid rising case of Covid-19 cases, announced Bhutan Prime Minister Lotay Tshering.

In a statement, Tshering announced that a nationwide lockdown will be enforced for seven days, starting December 23, adding that the lockdown will enable the government to control the spread of the disease and also discern the extent of transmission in the communities.

“In continuation to the inter-district movement restriction imposed this morning, the national COVID-19 Taskforce decided the need for a more stringent action after detection of sporadic cases in flu clinics in Thimphu and Paro, and also in Lhamoizingkha, which is evident of local transmission,” the statement read.

As per a bulletin by Ministry of Health of the Himalayan Kingdom on December 22, the total number of COVID-19 cases stood at 479 out of which 430 have recovered. Bhutan is yet to record a COVID-19 fatality.

While only designated shops within the zones and essential services will be available, all schools, institutions, offices and business establishments should remain closed.

Similarly, movement of individuals with the card within the zones and delivery of essentials will start in Thimphu tomorrow, as it completes the third day of lockdown. However, zone relaxation will not apply to houses under isolation, the statement noted.

Recently, Bhutan’s ambassador to India Vetsop Namgyel stated that India’s vaccines will be the ‘easiest to administer and transport’ as the country is ‘known to produce in bulk quantities’.

Hailing India, the Bhutan Ambassador said, “Vaccines in India are the ones which will be easiest to administer and transport. Most countries will benefit from it. India is known to produce in bulk quantities, once approved it can be rolled out quickly.”

Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan has said that there are six COVID-19 vaccine candidates in different clinical trial stages being developed by various manufacturers in India. Besides this, three COVID-19 vaccine candidates are in the pre-clinical stage of which one of the Coronavirus vaccine candidates is in the pre-development stage being researched by Aurobindo Pharma, the official said.

source  — ANI

Buddhist Times News – Bodh Gaya Global Dialogue on ‘Sustainable Development, Heritage & Enlightenment’

By   —  Shyamal Sinha

The Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha today addressed the valedictory session of Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts (IGNCA) and Deshkal Society on 3rd Edition of Bodh Gaya Global Dialogue on “Sustainable Development, Heritage and Enlightenment”  through virtual mode here at Raj Bhavan.

Addressing the delegates on the occasion, the Lt Governor observed that the timeless teachings of Buddha have strong relevance even in contemporary times and are very important for thinkers and intellectuals because of the dynamic changes we are seeing in every field in today’s era.

Indians are known for their greeting to their guest in Sanskrit “अतिथि देवो भवः” Atithi devo bhava meaning “Guest is like God”. India’s culture and heritage are a rich amalgam of the past and the present.

Bodh Gaya is a cradle of Buddhism culture, Buddha teachings, and heritage and a unique location for seekers from India and abroad .

“The wisdom of Buddha, in essence, is a seed with the potential to grow and awaken the whole of humanity. Let us imbibe the wisdom of Mahatma Buddha and conserve and preserve our tangible and intangible heritage and society woven around it”, said the Lt Governor.

I am delighted to be a part of the deliberation on the important topic “Sustainable Development, Heritage and Enlightenment”. I believe that sustainable development caters both material developments of Individual, region, place as well as nourishment of the soul. In this context, our focus has to be on conservation, restoration of tangible heritage as well as dissemination of intangible legacy to kindle the center of humanity, the Lt Governor maintained.

While appreciating the efforts of the organizers for conducting Global dialogue, the Lt Governor observed that Bodh Gaya Global Dialogue is in fact a rare opportunity where people from different walks of life come together, in communion, with the spirit of oneness to promote Bodh Gaya as a World Heritage site, besides strengthening the relationship between Buddhist Pilgrimage in India and the South East Asian Nations.

The Republic of India is the seventh largest country in the world by area and, with over a billion people, is second only to China in population, although its much higher birth-rate makes it likely to reach pole position in less than ten years.

It is an extremely diverse country, with vast differences in geography, climate, culture, language and ethnicity across its expanse, and prides itself on being the largest democracy on Earth and a hub of trade in Southeast Asia. India provides a vast canvass for touring whether it may be cultural, adventure, religious, history, beach, wildlife and other forms.

The Lt Governor said that the religious places depict our beliefs, moral values, and cultural heritage and it is the responsibility of one and all to contribute their bit to preserve and redevelop them.

Highlighting the significance of Bodh Gaya, the Lt Governor said that Bodh Gaya is a source of spirituality, meditation, human welfare, and compassion.

“Bodh Gaya teaches the whole world the values of thought, analysis, faith, respect, and is a symbol of kindness and compassion for all living beings. Bodh Gaya is a cradle of Buddhism culture, Buddha teachings, and heritage and a unique location for seekers from India and abroad”, he observed.

The Lt Governor further lauded the efforts of IGNCA and Deshkal Society on various fronts for the multi-dimensional development of Bodh Gaya to strengthen relationships and build a strong and sustainable network between Bodh Gaya and South-East Asian Nations.

I am witnessing a great miracle happening for mankind through this initiative. The worshippers from Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, South Korea, Taiwan, and Vietnam, Japan, and eminent monks and scholars have been coming regularly to Bodh Gaya and are taking a lead in reviving and developing Southeast Asia’s rich ancient legacy, said the Lt Governor.

The Lt Governor also suggested linking Bodh Gaya, Rajgir, Sarnath with eminent places in East Asia for sustainable development of our collective heritage.

The Lt Governor said as per UNESCO ‘Bodh Gaya is of Supreme Value to the World’. The efforts put in by various stakeholders during recent years have led to the promotion of Tourism along with Ecological Sustainability, Livelihood Generation, besides massive transformation has been seen in the Civil Society group regarding Urban Heritage Planning.

Recalling the teachings of Lord Buddha, the Lt Governor said the total awareness comes with an empty mind and that is the state of Buddhahood. We all have that potential of Buddhahood and all we need is a little bit more awareness in our life, in our work, he added.

“I see this occasion as an opportunity to be more spontaneous, be ourselves and live and work compassionately for others too in order to eradicate inequality in society.”

“The message of Mahatma Buddha is to awaken people and show them how to live as pure consciousness and this is what IGNCA and Deshkal Society is doing through Bodh Gaya Dialogues. Be aware, be more loving, and be more compassionate, observed the Lt Governor.”

source  —  gk news

Buddhist Times News – Bihar CM says, Buddha museum, stupa to be ready by 2021

Bihar CM says, Buddha museum, stupa to be ready by 2021

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Buddhist Times News – China’s development work going on in Tibet, India ready for any eventuality, says CDS Rawat

“China’s attempt to change the status quo on the Line of Actual Control along the northern borders amidst the COVID-19 pandemic necessitated high levels of preparation on land, sea and in the air,” the CDS said.

The Indian Army, following the Doklam stand-off in 2017, has taken measures to ensure that the situation does not escalate there any further, he maintained.

Indian forces are carefully watching the activities of the PLA at Doklam, where the armies of the two most populous countries in the world were engaged in a 73-day eyeball-to-eyeball stand-off in 2017.

“We have taken necessary action to counter anything that would be a cause of concern to our national security,” he said when asked about possible Chinese misadventures in the eastern sector, in the midst of the Ladakh impasse.

The CDS further said that the Indian Armed forces have adequate strength and reserves to counter any threat, and is looking to equip themselves with more cutting-edge technology.

“Time has come now to look at the future of warfighting, imbibing technology into our systems,” he said.

Talking about the continuous ceasefire violation by Pakistan, he said India is fully prepared to deal with it and that it is the other side that should be more concerned about carrying out such activities.

Asked whether India should have more submarines or procure another aircraft carrier, Rawat said both have their advantages and disadvantages.

“Submarines have a separate place in naval warfare, in the domination of the seas, and so does an aircraft carrier,” he said, maintaining that the Navy needs an air wing.

The country needs to utilise its large number of island territories for strengthening security along the sea lanes of communication, Rawat said.

He also said that islands can be an option for launching naval strike aircraft.

“Once we have studied all that and understood in detail, we will take a call,” he asserted.

Rawat said that the three forces — Army, Navy and Air Force — will be integrated while retaining the niche capabilities of each service.

“We strongly believe that no single force or no single service can succeed in any conflict situation if we are to face conflict with our adversaries anywhere — whether it is land, air or sea,” he said.

The integration will ensure synergised application of the country’s combat potentials, the CDS said.

“We have successfully overcome some of the misconceptions about force restructuring by allowing space to each force to develop niche capabilities based on their strengths, and thus enhance our overall combat power,” he added.

source – The Print

Buddhist Times News – His Holiness reaffirms to live to 113 years

The 14th Dalai Lama  known as Tenzin Gyatso; born Lhamo Dhondup, 6 July 1935) is the current Dalai Lama, the highest spiritual leader of Tibet, and considered a living buddha. The Dalai Lamas are also leaders of the Gelug school, which is the newest school of Tibetan Buddhism  and was formally headed by the Ganden Tripas. From the time of the 5th Dalai Lama to 1959, the central government of Tibet, the Ganden Phodrang, invested the position of Dalai Lama with temporal duties.

This year’s Gaden Ngamchoe [Tib: དགའ་ལྡན་ལྔ་མཆོད་] celebration brought tears of joy to Tibetans across the world as their beloved spiritual leader affirmed once again to live over 113 years.

This reaffirmation by His Holiness the Dalai Lama is indeed the long-cherished aspiration of six million Tibetans, and it’s these words of reassurance that made today’s anniversary of Lama Tsongkhapa’s parinirvana all the more auspicious and ceremonious.

He said there have also been divination by Getse Pandita, who lived during the 7th Dalai Lama Kalsang Gyatso (1708–1757), had foretold that the 14th Dalai Lama would live for 113 years. Late Kathok Getse Rinpoche had confirmed the same with His Holiness.

“It is due to the unwavering faith, trust and devotion that millions of Tibetans inside Tibet have vested in me that I sincerely hope and pray to live as long as I could,” said His Holiness.

“In the past decades, I have been able to significantly contribute to the flourishing of Tibetan culture and Buddhism and it is my wish to live long enough to continue to fulfill the hopes of the six million Tibetans.”

Just like a parent with unconditional love and compassion would pacify its children, over the years His Holiness the Dalai Lama has repeatedly told his Tibetan followers, who had grown concerned over his aging health, to be at ease for he would be amidst them for a much longer time.

Many were moved to tears of joy and gratitude as they watched and shared today’s video message with family and friends, united in the joy, peace and hope that Tibetans collectively feel in the well-being of their supreme leader, His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama.

During the 1959 Tibetan uprising, the Dalai Lama escaped to India, where he currently lives in exile while remaining the most important spiritual leader of Tibet. The Dalai Lama advocates for the welfare of Tibetans while continuing to call for the Middle Way Approach to negotiations with China for the autonomy of Tibet and the protection of Tibetan culture, including for the religious rights of Tibetans.

The Dalai Lama is a recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize awarded in 1989, and the US Congressional Gold Medal in 2006. Time magazine named the Dalai Lama one of the “Children of Mahatma Gandhi” and Gandhi’s spiritual heir to nonviolence.

Buddhist Times News – His Holiness the Dalai Lama on Buddhism, Science and Compassion

His Holiness the Dalai Lama was invited to take part in a discussion this morning with members of the Einstein Forum, a foundation in the state of Brandenburg, Germany, that serves as an open laboratory of the mind. It offers an annual fellowship to outstanding young thinkers who wish to pursue a project in a field different from that of their previous research. Fellows may live at Einstein’s summerhouse in Caputh with easy access to the universities and academic institutions of Potsdam and Berlin.

Prof Susan Neiman, Director of the Einstein Forum opened the conversation, telling His Holiness how honoured and excited she and her colleagues were to welcome him today. She regretted being unable to invite him to Einstein’s house, but read a quotation from Einstein that highlighted his appreciation of the potential for collaboration between Buddhism and science. She told him that the Einstein Forum was created 27 years ago to recreate and encourage the kind of conversation Einstein used to have about science and religion, politics and social justice. She thanked Shyam Wappuluri, an Einstein Forum fellow from India for organizing the event and Amber Carpenter, another fellow, for moderating the conversation.

“Today, we are not in direct contact,” His Holiness began, “but we are able to see and talk to each other over the internet. All religions convey a message of compassion and emphasise the importance of warm-heartedness, tolerance, contentment and self-discipline. Many religions believe in a creator God and the notion that as children of that God, all human beings are brothers and sisters. Then, there are also non-theistic traditions, mainly in India, that regard loving-kindness as the most precious of human qualities.

“Scientists observe that we human beings are social animals with a strong sense of concern for our community, because our very survival depends on the well-being of the community. Nurturing its welfare is one of the best ways of fulfilling our own interest.

“In this context, scientists are paying closer attention to what needs to be done to develop peace of mind. One aspect is coming to understand that it is internal obstacles, destructive emotions like anger, that disrupt our peace of mind. When anger arises, your inner peace is gone. However, the antidote to anger is compassion.

“India has for thousands of years preserved a tradition of non-violence, restraint from doing harm. And this is supported by ‘karuna’ or compassion and concern for others’ well-being.

“In Buddhist tradition we don’t rely on faith to cultivate compassion and peace of mind, we employ reason. We follow the Buddha’s advice not to accept his words at face value, but to examine and test them as a goldsmith tests gold. As a result, followers of the Buddha in India, and later in Tibet, valued taking a logical, investigative approach – and this accords with a scientific attitude.

“Because he taught people of varying mental disposition at different times and places, we have to examine what he taught and evaluate it. The great teachers at Nalanda University who came after Nagarjuna drew a distinction between those of the Buddha’s teachings that could be accepted as definitive and those that require interpretation.

“Since the 8th century, when the Tibetan king, Trisong Detsen, invited a top scholar at Nalanda University, Shantarakshita, to Tibet, we have also adopted a logical approach. In addition to his treatises, we translated and rigorously studied the works of the great Indian logicians Dignaga and Dharmakirti.

“This logical training is the basis on which I have been able to hold discussions with scientists for many years. There are points of convergence between ancient Buddhist thought and the discoveries of quantum physics on the one hand. On the other, scientists are beginning to register an interest in the workings of the mind and emotions.

“Today, on this planet, we face a lot of problems derived from anger, jealousy and fear. The weapons systems, including nuclear weapons, we have employed our intelligence to develop, are a threat to peace. However, more and more people support moves not only to eliminate nuclear weapons, but to achieve a complete global demilitarization. People value and appreciate the prospect of world peace, but nothing will come of it unless we as individuals develop peace of mind within ourselves. We all belong to human society and we have to learn to contribute to it and live together.”

In his responses to questions from the audience, His Holiness touched again on the importance of finding inner peace. He confirmed that training in ways to achieve peace of mind should be part of our education. He noted that just as everyone observes a code of physical hygiene, there should be a corresponding practice of emotional hygiene. This would include understanding that compassion actively counters anger and fear.

He mentioned a Tibetan monk he knew, who spent 18 years in Chinese prisons. When this monk reported being in danger during that time, His Holiness thought he was referring to threats to his life. However, the monk clarified that he had, at times, been in danger of losing his sense of compassion for his Chinese jailers. His Holiness cited this monk as someone with a remarkable degree of peace of mind.

Scientists have found evidence to suggest that it is basic human nature to be compassionate. We receive kindness from the moment we are born. Learning to maintain peace of mind is a key factor in our own ability to cultivate warm-heartedness.

His Holiness explained that the basic nature of the mind is pure and that purity is referred to as Buddha-nature. This is what underlies the idea that we can reduce and eliminate destructive emotions and purify the mind. He clarified that the quality of our action depends on our motivation, not so much on whether it is gentle or forceful. If the motivation is positive and compassionate, the action that follows will be beneficial.

When we are angry, the object of our anger seems to be absolutely negative. However, we can counter this by reflecting that nothing exists independently in the way it appears. Experience teaches that today’s enemy can become tomorrow’s friend. The label ‘enemy’ is our mental projection.

His Holiness observed that cultivating compassion and understanding the reality that nothing exists independently as it appears are crucial factors in reducing and overcoming our destructive emotions and therefore in achieving peace of mind. This approach is referred to in Buddhist terms as combining method and wisdom.

Understanding the workings of the mind and emotions has been part of discussions he has held with scientists over several decades. At the same time, facilities for the study of science have been established in the Tibetan monastic centres of learning re-established in South India.

“We’ve learned from science,” His Holiness remarked, “that accounts in Buddhist literature referring to a flat earth or to the sun and moon as being the same size and distance from the earth are mistaken. Among Buddhist scholars, Chandrakirti criticized masters who expressed such views and I count myself as his student.”

Buddhist Times News – China takes railway route to tighten grip on Tibet

Palden Sonam

Visiting Fellow, Tibet Policy Institute for The Tribune. Read the article here.

Since its occupation of Tibet in 1950, all major infrastructure development in this region has been driven by China’s strategic calculations and security needs for consolidating its control over Tibet and secure its position on the long Himalayan borders with India, Nepal and Bhutan. From the construction of highways and bridges in the early years of its entry to Tibet, to bringing railway connections to the major cities of Tibet, including capital Lhasa, in 2006, Beijing’s emphasis on building strategic infrastructure has been consistent and consequential. In addition to cementing its grip over Tibet, the long disputes over the border with India and to some extent with Bhutan add the extra strategic impetus in spurring a strategy-oriented infrastructural spree in Tibet.

It is in this context that the recent statement of General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Xi Jinping on the Ya’an-Nyingtri section of Sichuan-Tibet Railway is made —and, in fact, is to be analysed and understood. Xi made three key points on why the new railway matters in governing Tibet as a means for “safeguarding national unity, promoting ethnic solidarity and consolidating stability in the border.” An attempt is made here to decode Xi’s statement and analyse it in the broader political and strategic context of China’s colonial project in Tibet as well as its contestation with India.

First, Xi’s euphemism of ‘safeguarding national unity’ means to further the integration of Tibet into the Chinese system and big infrastructures, like the railway lines, are often seen as powerful tools to project power to far periphery regions and govern them from the metropolis. From Beijing’s perspective, the railway lines in Tibet not only strengthen the scale and speed of force deployment and movement of military assets in the case of a major political and security contingency in Tibet, but also its ability to exploit Tibet’s vast natural resources, such as lithium and chromite, which are abundant in the region where the new railway line crosses.

Second, to strip its political coat, ‘promoting ethnic solidarity’ implies the assimilationist role of the railways in mingling and melting Tibetans into the Chinese way of life and culture, like language and values, which has increasingly been aggressive under Xi Jinping’s power. This is because unlike the inconvenient road or expensive airway, the railway has the advantage of freighting a large number of people or goods to long distances at cheaper and faster rates. In the context of China’s assimilationist policy, the new railway connection is to play a greater role in bringing more Chinese, from miners and migrant workers to businessmen, to work and settle in Tibet — preferably in the border areas like Nyingtri.

Xi’s statement also indicates that China wants the Tibetans not only to see the railway lines as a positive development that they should welcome, but also feel it as an expression of solidarity from a supposedly advanced big Chinese brother. Here, the railway being the gift of development, and therefore, the obligational need of Tibetans to feel and appreciate the ‘Chinese generosity’. What is missing is the agency of Tibetans in choosing whether they really need a railway line and where they need it. The issue is that they not only have to accept it, but they also have to be indebted for it.

Third, the idea that the railway as an instrument to ‘consolidate stability’ at the disputed border with India does not mean maintaining stability as peace with the status quo. In fact, the expression is contradicting itself in that, if one party attempts to alter the status quo at the border, then the other will challenge it which will lead to more instabilities not only at the border per se, but also within the bilateral relationships as well as at the multilateral levels. This has indeed been the case with Doklam in 2017 and even more so with Ladakh today. The term ‘stability’ has to be understood as stable due to domination at the border rather than stability as peace agreed upon by the two nations.

Therefore, from a realistic perspective, strategic infrastructure like the railway as a tool for consolidating supremacy in the disputed territories implies both an offensive posture as well as a defence mechanism. Offensive because in the event of a border war with India, the new railway will fundamentally boost the manoeuvring capability of Chinese troops and weapons to be moved within a short time on a larger scale than it was possible before. Strategic development and strategic connections to frontier areas are meant to enhance China’s strategic advantage vis-a-vis India in order to score a long-term edge over the latter as a resolution to the boundary dispute appears to be more challenging, with leaders from both sides vowing to defend every inch of what they perceived to be their respective territories.

The defensive role comes with the huge capacity of the railway in transferring more Chinese people to work and settle in towns and villages at the border. China is constructing new towns and enlarging old ones to increase the population size at the border by forcibly relocating Tibetan nomads and farmers to Lhoka and Ngari, which are respectively adjacent to Arunachal in the east and Ladakh in the west. With the development of more economic opportunities like tourism, mining and constructions in the border areas, it also encourages Chinese settlers to put their root there to defend the motherland. In the long term, the growth of Chinese settlements at the border regions can be used as a civilian bulwark to fortify Beijing’s position on what its military can annex/control territories at the border.

In a nutshell, regardless of some of the positive side-effects of the new railway for the local Tibetans, the fundamental logic of the Chinese state, as Xi Jinping pointed out, is to integrate Tibet, assimilate its people and secure a dominant position in the boundary disputes with India.